Anime: Emotions on a Rollercoaster

[majestic]

2 minutes ago, Bartimaeus said:

Okay, so...I must have misplaced the first five episodes, because the second episode is actually episode 6. I don't know where they went, so I'm just going to pretend that I know what's going on and keep going.

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Not too much to say about episode 6, except that it was great but this whole weird staking out victims to assault and then confusing and tricking them and then assaulting them is very uncomfortable, especially with the noises these guys are making when they do it. A number of different little different things - villain pretending to be burned by a cross, the Artemis-is-a-father subplot, Rei basically saying churches suck, etc. made this a genuinely good episode, especially with no other dumb stuff to drag it down.

 

Are you sure you want to miss out on the first four episodes?
 

Spoiler

 

You'll miss out on the two most uncomfortable stalking and rape scenes by Tiger's-Eye until Makoto's (and they're top contenders for the most uncomfortable scenes in the season to be honest, except maybe for the Fish-Eye one with the boy) and the episode that looks like it was drawn by aliens.

Well, and funny parts in the second one where Minako and Usagi are being lovably dumb. And, uhm, Naru and Umino's last appearance on the show.

And the introduction of Pegasus where he asks Chibi-Usa to keep their relationship a secret. Hush. Don't tell your parents that a horse is grooming you.

 

 

[Bartimaeus]

Spoiler

 

9 minutes ago, majestic said:

it was one of the funnier monsters in this season for me

Didn't do it for me either, actually - that thing seemed like something that *should've* been funny, but instead was just awkward and uncomfortable...if I had to guess, probably because the scenes with it were oddly...flat and there wasn't that much action. Does not portend well if that's one of the better ones. Should've been something more like the tennis monster, where people and stuff were flying all over the place - instead, it just kind of...awkwardly crushed Usagi. Weird.

Chibi-Usa's motivations for wanting to...you know, continue to exist, at least make a sort of sense - what didn't make sense was her obsessing over Mamoru with Usagi for the first half of the episode like it was the beginning of R again. Already seemed out of place...but I guess this is one of the better ones. Ay caramba!

9 minutes ago, majestic said:

Ali/Ail isn't even canonical in the strictest sense

Yeah, I don't care about the manga at all this point - Ail and An are 100% canon as far as I'm concerned, . If it happened in the show, then it happened in real life. Uh, well, not quite, but you get my point.

@First 4 episodes: I'll go back and watch them...eventually, but as of right this moment, I don't have them, so I'm not gonna worry about it for now. Problem to solve another day!

 

 

[majestic]

Funny coincidence though. Episodes 5, 6 and 7 are probably the only really good/decent ones out of the first 20.

Spoiler

I mean there's a lot to "like" about episode 20, at least there was for me, but it's really just 20 minutes of Makoto torture porn, and even though her "falls in love with everyone that says hello to her" personality does make her the easiest punching bag to work with, how can you do that to her?

18 and 19 are funnish though. Not too keen on Mamoru calling Usagi fat though. Really Mamoru? F*ck you. Good thing I consider this season erased from history.

Try to get to episode 8 as soon as possible, it's where the season turns to compete shice.

[Bartimaeus]

Spoiler

You know, if these dudes weren't stalker rapists, I think they'd actually be pretty fun colorful villains. ...Alas, here one is crouching in some damp grass waiting to pounce upon a young teenage girl.

"She probably ran away because she couldn't handle the pressure!"
"TOMOKO WOULD NEVER DO THAT."
"...O-okay!"

Never stop offering terrible explanations that you spent literally no time thinking about before giving them, Minako, no matter how mad they make other people, because they always make me laugh.

"How about we let Mako handle this?"
"ARE YOU GOING TO BE A COWARD!?"

Great stuff, Makoto - guess you specialized in the "tough love" school of supporting your friends? ...Except, uh, you haven't really done that in the past as far as I can remember, so that's kind of weird.

Why did the time bomb just look like a .png they pasted over the frame? And...is Diana now the one that tells Chibi-Usa when to do something? Tsk, tsk.

 

Edited March 16, 2021 by Bartimaeus

[majestic]

1 hour ago, Bartimaeus said:

Spoiler

Great stuff, Makoto - guess you specialized in the "tough love" school of supporting your friends? ...Except, uh, you haven't really done that in the past as far as I can remember, so that's kind of weird.

 

 

Spoiler

 

Yes! Thank you! Episodes like these made me add the alien factor to the SuperS write-up. It's either shapeshifters that replaced the girls I learned to love over 120 episodes, or body snatchers that took over their brains. What the hell Makoto? It's not just me then that thinks this was out of character.

I'd cry tears of joy over feeling validated now , if it weren't for the fact that it would be over Sailor Moon SuperS and I really wish I was wrong, and that this season was better than it is.

Little things like these keep happening throughout the season and it really ruins the experience for me.

Also, quoting myself from the write up:

Quote

Makoto apparently has an old school-friend who wrote a book about Pegasus that everyone loved. Makoto is seen both helping said friend and berating her for having low self esteem. The book about a Pegasus adds .5 to the creep factor. Tiger's-Eye is seen breaking into a house for some sweet tiger on author action.

The biggest issue of this episode is that it should be a Makoto focus piece. It's bad enough to introduce a hitherto unknown friend of Makoto's (who conveniently happens to be the victim of the week) 109 episodes after Makoto is added to the Sailor Senshi team, but then to make the mistake of making this an episode focused on said random friend that only shows up once makes this all the more odd. At least at this point in the season the formula hasn't worn completely thin yet, but oh boy, it will before this is over. It will.

Sailor Stars has this scene where Makoto is helping Usagi:

Spoiler

 

Yeah, that's more like Makoto would help her friends, huh?

 

 

 

Fair word of warning, the next episode is the one where the STOP CHIBI-MOON clip is from.

Edited March 16, 2021 by majestic

[Bartimaeus]

Definitely seemed weird. It's something I almost overlooked because...based on Makoto's general personality type, you'd almost *think* it would make sense for her stronger personality type...until you think back and reflect and realize that it's simply not the case: Makoto has always been lovey-dovey empathetic and a patient believer in others, and it's really more of a Rei thing if it was going to be anyone.

Last episode (8) for the day:

Spoiler

lmao wat why does Chibi-Usa have a mustache

also, seriously, these creeps are actually making me laugh right up until they start doing the proper villain stuff, this is such a shame (and gosh dangit why does every victim have to moan and pass out like this, what the hell)

chibi-usa is probably smarter than usagi, she refused to fall for the monster's obvious trap and actually stood up for herself, nice job kiddo

(e): oh no, this episode had THE scene

this episode only had usagi and chibi-usa basically, with mamoru showing up for like a total of one second - kind of weird

 

Edited March 16, 2021 by Bartimaeus

[majestic]

55 minutes ago, Bartimaeus said:

Definitely seemed weird. It's something I almost overlooked because...based on Makoto's general personality type, you'd almost *think* it would make sense for her stronger personality type...until you think back and reflect and realize that it's simply not the case: Makoto has always been lovey-dovey empathetic and a patient believer in others, and it's really more of a Rei thing if it was going to be anyone.

I added a Stars spoiler clip in an edit to my previous post, by the way. At any rate, yes, that's Makoto in a nutshell. I don't think she'd ever berate a friend of hers like that, not even if it would be the right thing to do, especially not with her having self-esteem issues herself. Her being like that to someone she cares about (regardless of how much that someone comes out of the blue) feels like it invalidates her Sailor Moon S focus episodes. If anything, post Sailor Moon S Makoto should resolve this by being understanding and supportive in a non-aggressive manner.

When you look through comments on the 'net about Sailor Moon, many of them are like that (random YouTube comment incoming):

Quote

I found it so liberating as a young teen seeing a show that says that I can be strong without changing a part of who I am to do so.

It's not something I thought about when I first watched it (I was 16 and had my own share of problems), but this is, I guess, more relevant than ever nowadays. Sailor Moon has a group of superhero girls that are, in the end, girls, not characters adapted to survive in a male dominated genre by out-testosteroning them. Yes, I'm looking at you, Captain Marvel film.

 

Edited March 16, 2021 by majestic
Made the quote a spoiler for no reason.

[PK htiw klaw eriF]

Re Sailor Moon Super S

[HoonDing]

[InsaneCommander]

I reached episode 10 of SM Super S.

 

Spoiler

 

The Pegasus is really repetitive. Some variety would be good. Maybe he could kick an enemy once in a while, instead of giving them the special attack? Or just don't come and give them the scepter, since he already gave them the new brooches.

These new villains are creepy and though not very competent, they always manage to do their thing... I can't decide if is better or worse when the victims are unconscious.

It is funny though when their victims just ignore them, like Naru and Kaori.

The fairy guy was so unlucky. Four of the girls were looking for him, excited at meeting him and all he got was fake fairy Fish's Eye.

So Diana didn’t recognize her mother? She could have avoided a lot of trouble to Artemis by just saying “Mom!” when Luna appeared.

How old is she? If she is not very young, she may not be very bright.

Children coming from the future is becoming a trend. Who will come next? Rei’s daughter? Sailor Chibi Mars? Will they need to open a kindergarten on Usagi's house, or in Rei's temple?

 

I was happy I could watch the new season without the problems @ArtistFormerlyKnownasKPis having, but if the next good episode is 20...

[majestic]

1 hour ago, InsaneCommander said:

I reached episode 10 of SM Super S.

 

  Hide contents

 

The Pegasus is really repetitive. Some variety would be good. Maybe he could kick an enemy once in a while, instead of giving them the special attack? Or just don't come and give them the scepter, since he already gave them the new brooches.

These new villains are creepy and though not very competent, they always manage to do their thing... I can't decide if is better or worse when the victims are unconscious.

It is funny though when their victims just ignore them, like Naru and Kaori.

The fairy guy was so unlucky. Four of the girls were looking for him, excited at meeting him and all he got was fake fairy Fish's Eye.

So Diana didn’t recognize her mother? She could have avoided a lot of trouble to Artemis by just saying “Mom!” when Luna appeared.

How old is she? If she is not very young, she may not be very bright.

Children coming from the future is becoming a trend. Who will come next? Rei’s daughter? Sailor Chibi Mars? Will they need to open a kindergarten on Usagi's house, or in Rei's temple?

 

I was happy I could watch the new season without the problems @ArtistFormerlyKnownasKPis having, but if the next good episode is 20...

I have no idea what gave you the impression that the next good episode is going to be 20. The next good episode is 23. Everything before that is bearable at best, Makoto torture porn or at least in parts hilarious but still stupid.

I said 20 is good because I like the way the girls are trying to support their friend and are considerate of her feelings and her self-esteem issues instead of just telling her how completely ridiculous she is behaving. I also have no idea how that episode happened in this mess of a season. Maybe the writers got drunk enough so the body snatchers couldn't work their magic. Like Londo in the dark future version of Babylon 5 where his Drakh keeper could be supressed by getting sh*tfaced enough.

Like there's one semi-funny episode coming up where the girls all suck at dancing, but are shown to be top dancers two episodes later. The hang on summoned trapezes in one no problems, have vertigo in the next. It's maddening.

 

[InsaneCommander]

A few more episodes.
 

Spoiler

 

I really thought they would spare the little Samurai girl. She even was good enough to avoid being held in the first attempt. But no, they did it to her too. Not looking forward to Fish's Eye going after a little boy. Unlike the others, he always takes some time with his victims.

Everyone doubted Mamoru when they thought he was having an affair. Even Ami. Maybe Chibiusa is the most mature since she learned that it is important to trust when you love?

Also, Usagi is fat? Mamoru was lifting Ami and Chibiusa too, so why assume his girlfriend is putting on some weight? Maybe because she couldn't slap him at that moment?

Next is Minako's double date. I hope she is not assaulted twice.

 

 

[InsaneCommander]

Well, the double date episode was funny.

 

Spoiler

 

I guess the Hawk guy redefined his concept of older women.

 

So Chibiusa not only knows about sexual harassment but also sees them entering people’s dreams as such. Wtf? That is messed up. Now I really hope she is never a target.

 

 

[InsaneCommander]

12 hours ago, Bartimaeus said:

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lmao wat why does Chibi-Usa have a mustache

also, seriously, these creeps are actually making me laugh right up until they start doing the proper villain stuff, this is such a shame (and gosh dangit why does every victim have to moan and pass out like this, what the hell)

chibi-usa is probably smarter than usagi, she refused to fall for the monster's obvious trap and actually stood up for herself, nice job kiddo

(e): oh no, this episode had THE scene

this episode only had usagi and chibi-usa basically, with mamoru showing up for like a total of one second - kind of weird

 

The mustache was funny.

This season is basically Usagi, Chibiusa and Mamoru alone in the fights. Sometimes one or more appear.

Now imagine not knowing this anime and noticing only the sound while your teenage daughter is watching this season. You ask her what it is and she says it's a cartoon for teenage girls...

[Bartimaeus]

Episode 9 of SuperS:

Spoiler

Minako: GET THE FIRE EXTINGUISHER!!!1!

Thank you for saving what was otherwise a painful scene, Minako. Man, sometimes, I wonder why Mamoru hangs out with Usagi at all - well, this SuperS version of her anyways. She's just so...you know, Hurricane Serena when she's around him, and it's bad for literally everyone. Maybe season 2 Mamoru was right to break up with her...can always get back together in a few years when she's grown up a little!

Oh no, Rei is the target. This is going to be awful, especially in this episode. "That's because you're Yuichiro!" What the hell, Usagi? I'm so done with you, girl. The character animation in this episode looks oddly bad. And...why did they have to give Helios a weird creepy voice, why why why?

"She's so annoying - Yuichiro, get rid of that ninja!" I'm with Rei here.

Okay, yeah, so like I remember majestic saying, we have Chibi-Usa admonishing Usagi and telling her to restrain herself and be better...the complete opposite of what these two characters were doing just a few episodes ago even though it's about the exact same thing.

I've officially started right arrowing. There were still some good moments in this episode, but I don't see any reason to sit through some of the nonsensiest, time-wastiest, or most uncomfortable bits.

Episode 10 of SuperS:

Spoiler

lol @ Chibi-Usa talking to this adult author dude about getting married

"None of these women really stands out. I wish there was even one in this sorry bunch was enough to get me...............motivated." ight imma head out oh my gosh please end this conversation this is too awful to be funny

lmao wait, no, I was wrong, Fish's Eye picking out the guy was pretty funny - watching these sick bastards dispassionately pick out targets is sort of like being transported to an entirely different show where the main characters are weirdo freak rapists and I'm supposed to be just cool with that, and sometimes I am and it's funny and then other times it's like what the actual hell why is this in Sailor Moon

"I know, maybe she's a fish fairy!" ... "That might've been a fairy...or a flesh-eating demon."

See, when you aren't talking about Mamoru or other out of character crap, you guys can be still pretty funny.

Okay, is it just me, or...is it kind of weird that the Sailor Guardians, whether it's Usagi and Chibi-Usa or anyone else, so very often have the opportunity to prevent a victim from getting assaulted...but just stand around doing nothing much for just a *little* too long and allow the victim to get assaulted rather than just prevent it from happening to begin with?

This minion tightrope guy was pretty funny, at least.

 

[majestic]

3 hours ago, Bartimaeus said:

Episode 9 of SuperS:

  Reveal hidden contents

Minako: GET THE FIRE EXTINGUISHER!!!1!

Thank you for saving what was otherwise a painful scene, Minako. Man, sometimes, I wonder why Mamoru hangs out with Usagi at all - well, this SuperS version of her anyways. She's just so...you know, Hurricane Serena when she's around him, and it's bad for literally everyone. Maybe season 2 Mamoru was right to break up with her...can always get back together in a few years when she's grown up a little!

Oh no, Rei is the target. This is going to be awful, especially in this episode. "That's because you're Yuichiro!" What the hell, Usagi? I'm so done with you, girl. The character animation in this episode looks oddly bad. And...why did they have to give Helios a weird creepy voice, why why why?

"She's so annoying - Yuichiro, get rid of that ninja!" I'm with Rei here.

Okay, yeah, so like I remember majestic saying, we have Chibi-Usa admonishing Usagi and telling her to restrain herself and be better...the complete opposite of what these two characters were doing just a few episodes ago even though it's about the exact same thing.

I've officially started right arrowing. There were still some good moments in this episode, but I don't see any reason to sit through some of the nonsensiest, time-wastiest, or most uncomfortable bits.

 

I'm beginning to see a pattern here. But yes, I complained copiously about this episode. I'd say its nice to see that you're bothered by the same stuff as I was. Validation is nice and all, but I really wish SuperS was better.

The worst part is if you strike out Chibi-Usa and transport this to one season one it would maybe have been really funny, especially in light of Rei's not that distant relationship with Mamoru. Here it is just completely misplaced. It would still be even if there wasn't an episode before where the two main characters behave in the exact opposite way, making this even more awkward than it should be.

This was written by a writer that's been on board since season one. She really should've known better. Or used an alias if that crap really came from studio interference.

Spoiler

Also, I swear by the time episode 21 happens, even Mamoru doesn't know why he's still with Usagi. He looks painfully uncomfortable when Fish-Eye asks him that question.

Mamoru wasn't right to break up with Sailor Moon R Usagi, but with this one? Please just dump her man, please.

Spoiler

Plus that would free up space for Seiya next season!

 

 

Edited March 17, 2021 by majestic

[Bartimaeus]

Episode...uh, 11, I think:

Spoiler

Great, another Mamoru fight episode...or, uh, not? Okay, Ami turning this into a job is much better than where I thought this was going. Oh, no, the Mamoru fight thing is still going on - now all the other girls are making dumb assumptions about Mamoru too...but I guess that's okay, since at least they got over it quickly and it didn't keep dragging on.

"Alright, let me explain it to both of you: this one is a woman who has reached the peak of all other older women."
"So...she's a grandmother?"

I had to pause the video here, because this was delivered so well that I burst out laughing. In another place, in another time, with a still evil but significantly less creepy occupation...you three sick bastards would've been right up there with The Professor. As it is, I'm constantly being split between laughing and being disgusted with these guys - the very definition of hit or miss.

Okay, now I'm back to being disgusted: Fish Eye is creeping and cringing me the hell out with this whole get-up and everything. ...Minako hit her head hard on the roof of the car - her brain cells are precious as it is!

Why is the new stock footage animation so bad in this season? Everyone and everything is so weird and shiny, like it's being done by a different team of artists - I don't like it. I think majestic mentioned something about how they forgot to do the stock footage in time or something...

lmao, Mamoru gave out a Tarzan scream while catching the girls. That can't have happened in the Japanese version, right?

Episode probably 12:

Spoiler

Holy crap, an ultra-rare sighting of Usagi's family! ...Oh, I wasn't thinking for a moment: of course this is going to end up with the poor kid being assaulted. That's, uh, if her own mom doesn't kill her before that - what the hell is happening in this episode?

lmao: I was just thinking why do these three guys always butter up their victims before setting the trap since it really seems like they could forcibly set the trap anytime they want, but then Tiger's Eye tried to do it immediately with this kid and she was actually too quick for it - guess they have to distract them in some way before it can be done.

Why are Usagi and Chibi-Usa constantly together with each other everywhere in this season? The dialogue between them is getting pretty weird sometimes as a result, since they're having to deal with and talk to each other about almost literally everything when there really isn't be a need for them to do so. I guess it's because their attacks have to go together (although I don't know why, since Chibi-Usa's seems to do literally nothing).

...What the hell is this minion? ...What the hell is this resolution with the mother? ...What the hell was this episode?

I should also mention: I'm skipping several minutes near the end of each episode as of now - the moment one of the creepfaces says "one", I'm hammering that right arrow past the rest of the battle stuff unless I just happen to see something that piques my interest. Just don't have the patience anymore, and I'm not even that far in. This should help get past this.

Edited March 17, 2021 by Bartimaeus

[Bartimaeus]

Final episode for today, episode 13:

Spoiler

? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? this was weird, offensive, insulting, bizarre, and terrible, for a variety of reasons

except for the entire shopping scene, that was hilarious (actually Usagi was pretty good in general, even for this ultra-bizarre episode, so that was nice, even though I kind of hated the episode overall)

You guys said the animation in this season was better, but as someone currently mostly skipping past the action sequences that are apparently supposed to shine, everyone seems to inexplicably look a little weirder and uglier than they used to.

I said this was the final episode for today, but then the preview for the next one started playing and it's the Minako episode, so I'm hoping I can end on a good note here because even though she hasn't appeared very much this season, when she has, she's still been herself and making me laugh...although if this is HER episode, that probably means bad things are going to happen to her and I might regret this, but then again I can just right arrow past that and pretend it didn't happen so I guess it's okay; also, the more I get done now, the less I have later:

Spoiler

this just in: I still absolutely love Minako, lmao

"You haven't got a chance with her...Pigeon's Eye!"
"More of a chance...than you have, Tiger Pants!"

i'm dead, Tiger Pants is the best/worst insult I've heard since station wagon snail woman

WHY DID THEY PICK SUCH A CREEPY VOICE FOR HELIOS!?

Of course Minako keeps talking even while being attacked, and then ALSO breaks out of her chains to beat the crap out of them. Go Minako, go!

 

[majestic]

Sailor Moon Sailor Starts Final thoughts, part 2.

edit: The linked images on the SM wiki are really small, you can enlarge them by clicking on them. Crappy forum software gonna crappy soft...ware. I guess.

The first part ended rather abruptly in the issues and storyline block. It was getting late and I already kind of stream of consciousness'ed myself way away from where I initially wanted to go. So let's talk some more (or rather, I'll type, you'll read, and maybe comment), about the themes, the problems present and that ending. I hope someone at least reads this, I've spent over three four  five hours on this now. Holy crap.

The Idiot Ball, also known as Forced Conflict Strikes Back

A token that transforms its holders into morons. Ideally not in your writing, alas, it is present in this season.
 

Spoiler

 

Its primary holder is Haruka, however it radiates to her entire group of Outer Senshi, and also affects two of the three Sailor Starlights, namely Yaten and Taiki Kou, alias Sailor Star Healer and Sailor Star Maker. By far and large this comes in the form of a conflict between the Outer Senshi and the Sailor Starlights, who are originally not from Earth, in spite of looking human enough to pass as humans. The Outer Senshi, whose primary duty is to ward Earth from threats coming from outside our solar system, are of course suspicious of the newcomers.

They're aliens, after all. So far, so good. The problem is that not only does this conflict bleed over into their civilian identities by way of simple jealousy, it also continues way past the point where it makes sense, and worse, it is continued by both sides.

In one of the earlier episodes, the Three Lights and Michiru Kaio give a concert together. Afterwards, Seiya (Sailor Star Fighter) goes to her dressing room, because during the concert he noticed that Michiru has the brightness of a star, i.e. is a potential holder of the season's MacGuffin in people, a Star Seed. Sailor Senshi have Star Seeds, among other important, powerful or, as the season puts it, shining people (like Mamoru, who is the first character to have his Star Seed taken), so he's immediately curious.

Usagi shows up to late to the concert and misses it. Haruka tries to comfort her and says she'll be going to Michiru's Dressing room, only to find Seiya there engaged in some flirting with Michiru. Haruka becomes jealous for no reason, pretends to want to shake Seiya's hand and tries to punch him. The two seem evenly matched, and immediately hate each other's guts (this happens before any identities are revealed, by the way).

The biggest problem here is that Haruka has no reason to be jealous of a guy in Michiru's dressing room. It is possible that she's bisexual, maybe, but there never was any indication of that being the case, nor was there ever any indication that Haruka cannot or does not trust her. In fact, with Haruka constantly and playfully flirting with other girls she comes across as a complete hypocrite. Michiru explains the outburst as Haruka not liking popular men which doesn't help... at all.

Now jealousy is not a logical emotion, and it would be fine, there are people who are jealous of their partner's flirtations while they flirt around as much as they like, but that's just not Haruka. I'm sorry writers, I know what you were going for here, but it doesn't fit the characters established in Sailor Moon S. It also makes more sense in the frame of the manga where the Three Lights are just disguised women and not actual men like in the anime that transform into women to fight. I, however, have no idea if that scene actually is in the manga. Seiya hitting on Usagi apparently is, but that's REALLY creepy, lame and a d*ck move if true, because in the manga Usagi actually sees Mamoru die right in front of her. Well at least that explains why it would make Haruka hate him/her.

Similarily, even when the Sailor Starlights prove to be allies - Sailor Star Fighter in particular, who almost dies in an attempt to save Sailor Moon from an enemy attack (she jumps into a shot by Sailor Tin Nyanko that would otherwise probably have killed an unsuspecting Usagi), they stubbornly refuse to change their stance. Sailor Uranus hates the Sailor Starlights, and Haruka just hates Seiya. End of story.

On the other side, Taiki and Yaten want nothing else than complete their mission on Earth, not get entangled in a fight that isn't theirs, and constantly want to convince Seiya that he should stop getting so close to Usagi. This is more understandable than the Outers simply refusing Sailor Star Fighter's help. They want to find their version of Princess Serenity who is hiding on Earth and go back to heal their destroyed world.

Usagi/Sailor Moon is constantly trying to get the two groups to work together, and both sides continue to ignore them, even after Princess Kakyuu tells them that they will stand no chance unless working together. You'd think that with all that happened in Sailor Moon S, and both princesses agreeing with each other, they'd get their act together and work with each other. But no, Haruka's holding the idiot ball. They will not join forces with the Sailor Starlights. They're aliens, outsiders, they don't belong on Earth. Their attitude becomes borderline (if not outright) racist here, which is weird for Sailor Moon's usually very inclusive message (and Sailor Pluto, who semi-canonically is part Roma, should really know better).

There is, however, a theme here, and I will come to that later. It works more with the other part that is involved, because it's just out of character for Haruka not not have learned her lesson at the end of Sailor Moon S. Or let's say, I do have a working theory of what Haruka is supposed to represent here, but I am uncertain if that was intentional on the writer's part or if that is just applicable to the story by happenstance.

Much like The Lord of the Rings was, by Tolkien's own admission, not meant as allegory for the dangers of high tech warfare and powerful weaponry, but it does have applicability to the real world by comparing the One Ring to nuclear weponry.

For now, enough on this subject. The conflict is simply forced, everyone involved behaves like an idiot. It's one of the major downsides of this season. However, before the length of this paragraph convinces you otherwise, the Outer Senshi aren't in this season too much.

 

The Heavy And Light Metal Group, or How To Be Boring
 

Spoiler

 

Well, no way around it. Not counting the hidden big bads behind the villains that are in every season and usually have no character other than ME EVUL DESTROY THE WORLD RAWR, and while the set of villains in Sailor Moon SuperS wasn't overly impressive after the Death Busters of Sailor Moon S, these might just take the cake as the most non-descript, useless and boring group of disposable mooks that were ever thrown in front of the Sailor Senshi ever.

Except for Galaxia, but all of her characterization comes from the final six or seven episodes. It's not bad, and it does have a theme similar to Haruka's (maybe, more on that later!) that makes me think that maybe this was intentional. Very strong maybe here.

Like ever so often, there are four enemies the Inner Senshi have to face over the course of the season. Having apparently run out of minerals to use, we are now using metals as names. Which is kind of weird when you think about it, there are various forms of ore for various metals that all are minerals. So why not use ore names? Never mind.

In order:

Sailor Iron Mouse, Sailor Aluminum Siren, Sailor Lead Crow and Sailor Tin Nyanko. And yes, Iron Mouse does wear a mouse costume of a sort, Nyanko looks like a cat, Crow like a crow and Siren looks... like some leftover bondage gear that the Sailor Starlights had no use for. I mean, they all wer bondage gear of some sort, but Siren loos like nothing else.

Sailor Animamates. Why are there five? Well, because the anime had the good sense to omit Sailor Heavy Metal Papillon. No, really, that's her name. I'll leave it you to figure out which one that was.

The biggest problem? Nephrite has more screen time in Sailor Moon than the four combined. This isn't necessarily a bad thing, it just means we have four characters that don't do much and are summarily executed for incompetence by Galaxia. In the manga they get killed by the Senshi, as usual, because they're all bloodthirsty killers.

in fact, most of the fighting in this season is rather short, almost an afterthought. If the show had opted to not neurotically stick to its formula there would barely be any fighting in it. In most episodes the monster of the week and the episode's appearane by Sailor <interchangeable metal mook> has a combined screen time of 2 minutes, and that includes 30 second Sailor Moon attack stock footage.

Aluminum Siren and Lead Crow occassionally have some fun interaction, but as far as characters go even the Spectre Sisters were more interesting. Where Sailor Moon S was enriched by the presence of even the most useless mooks (hello Kaorinite), in this they come across as the afterthoughts they were.

 

Girl Power Screen Time
 

Spoiler

 

I've hinted at it before, but the girl's screen time is limited. What is there is usually great, in fact, as long as Haruka isn't on the screen the character interactions in this season are fantastic (and even Haruka occasionally gets fun instead of stupid things to do). But there really is a lot of Seiya and Usagi. Usagi in this season however is strong enough to carry it on her own, and thematically it makes sense for the other girls to take a back seat, unlike in SuperS where it was clear that they were left out simply because the writers had no idea how to give them screen time while focusing on Chibi-Usa and Usagi.

Usagi is the one with the most free time. She says she didn't join any extracurricular activity because she couldn't find a club for Eating, reading comics and going to the USA when the other girls ask her, but the truth is, she misses Mamoru and can't always keep up pretending to be happy around them. We could argue here that Usagi by now should know better and should simply talk to her friends about it, but that would be forgetting her dying wish in the first season: For everyone to have a normal, happy life. Even when faced with the Cardians in R, she didn't want Luna to give the others their memories back.

It's okay for her to keep Mamoru not writing a secret to not worry the others too much. She also keeps being the friend they all need. She encourages Minako to follow her dreams even though Minako, for once trying to be the reponsible, most experienced of the group, thinks that she should not go to any auditions as long as the new enemies aren't defeated. When Makoto is on a cooking show and so nervous she can't talk at all and drops the eggs for her cake, she catches them and makes an idiot out of herself to cheer everyone up. Even the cook, whose show she ruins, tells Usagi and Makoto to come back any time, it was the most fun he ever had.

In one episode Ami is spending some time at the hospital with her mother, having struck up a sort of friendship with a young girl waiting for surgery. Ami is sad and says that she's but lost all hope that she will survive, and Usagi immediately runs off to convince Taiki to spend some time with the girl to cheer her up.

And Rei, you ask? Rei... actually, Rei, disguised as a fortune teller, saves Seiya's and Usagi's friendship after the identity reveal episode, even though she clearly has misgivings about Seiya spending so much time with Usagi and Usagi not telling him outright that she's not interested. They might bicker and fight at every turn, but in the end, Usagi is clearly the closest friend she has, and maybe Rei even sees her as the little sister that she never had. This goes back to one of the few good episodes in SuperS where Rei more or less teaches  a girl as new miko that sees herself as her younger sister.

Man, Usagi, really, you don't notice that this is Rei right away?

 

The Finale, Thematic Exploration Part One

I'm not entirely certain that this needs its own paragraph. The imagery used in the final confrontation speaks for itself. To call it heavy handed and on the nose is an insult to all heavy handed and on the nose imagery. You have to be completely blind to not notice it.
 

Spoiler

 

But let's take a look at Eternal Princess Serenity and Chaos Galaxia fighting:

Do you think the show is trying to tell us something here?

This is the scene where Usagi takes up the Light of Hope to deflect Galaxia's blow. Galaxia is hurt in the process, and Usagi is horrified enough to immediately stop fighting. Chaos Galaxia destroys her sword. The sword, by the way, was summoned, or rather, is Sailor Chibi Chibi, one of the new characters I have talked about in a different post. There are some people and reviews out there who think that she was a waste of time because she comes in only to be a sword that Usagi doesn't use, but that's not true. The Light of Hope isn't just a weapon, it is really hope personified, and it saves Usagi from defeat after her own Star Seed is shattered by Galaxia.

The shattering of the sword symbolizes the return of hope to the galaxy. It is no longer bound in one form, concentrated in one powerful being, and the Messia refuses to fight. Eventually touching Galaxia, Usagi expels Chaos from her body and disperses it.

With this, light and darkness have returned, in balance, to the galaxy. Usagi is confident that with light and hope, the darkness can be kept at bay. Everything is back where it belongs.

Galaxia, now cleansed, takes all the Star Seeds she has taken and leaves to restore the damage she has done. Usagi, now completely alone, says that she hung in there for everyone, but she's spent now. There's nothing for her left. She can't go on. Light begins to break through the clouds again.

Chibi Chibi, coming back with Mamoru, signifies the return of everyone. Mamoru says that it was the light of Chibi Chibi (hope, that is) that lead him back.

Well look at that, at least now there's a reason why Crystal Tokyo is built, huh?

We end the episode, the season and the show with the Sailor Starlights and the restored Princess Kakyuu leaving for their home, saying goodbye to the Inner Senshi and Mamoru. Usagi and Mamoru kiss. Cue credits.

 

So why was there a part one? Because a part two is incoming.

The Finale, Thematic Exploration Part Two: Intention or Applicability, Feminist Theory?

Well here we are.
 

Spoiler

 

Is there a deeper meaning to the rather obvious messianic layer? Is it even really there, is it intentional if it is, or does it just have applicability? What am I even talking about? And why did I mention Haruka having the idiot ball by insisting to solve everything alone without external (and alien even, the horror!) help might link to the finale and has perhaps a deeper meaning?

Well that's because Haruka is the most masculine of all the Sailor Senshi, and her stubborn insistence on going it alone might as well represent her masculine side. With traditional male roles in our society, men are often expected to tough it out, go it alone, never show weakness. Never ask for help. Never require help. Never ask for directions, right? Thank god we've got navigation systems these days.

Asking for help, letting others help, that's all very feminine. As such it makes perfect sense for Usagi to do just that. Remember at the end of the first season where she asked everyone's spirit to lend her strength for the fight ahead? She wants everyone to cooperate, to help each other. She constantly tries to help others, sometimes at the expense of her own hapiness or even life. Haruka's stubborn refusal to accept the help offered (even back in Sailor Moon S), or even contemplate to work together because she thinks they can solve this on their own, in their own way, might as well be, dare I say it, Sailor Moon's attempt at representing toxic masculinity (eeeeew he sad the bad word, ewwww!).

Galaxia is very similiar. She fought Chaos on her own, believing she needs to fight and destroy it alone, because nobody else is strong enough. When faced with the impossibility of her task, she doesn't contemplate getting help. Instead, while showing the foresight to remove the Light of Hope (again, her Star Seed) from her so Chaos cannot corrupt it, she simply opts to contain Chaos within herself. She thoughs it out. Goes it alone. Never ask for help, she's the strongest of them all. She's not supposed to get help.

During the fight with Sailor Moon she constantly insults Usagi for her attempts to save her friends, for trying to protect her loved ones, and for refusing to fight. She mocks her relentlessly about not having any pride in her role as Sailor Warrior. Please note that while  Senshi means soldier or warrior, the translation Guardian is more fitting in terms of the show, but here, Galaxia really means warrior. He has no respect for Usagi being all girly and only defensive about this. Sailor Moon clearly has the power, and the weapon to destroy her, so why doesn't she?

Because that's not what Usagi is, and that's not what she wants to be, even though she could. And that's why this ending wouldn't work in the manga at all. Usagi there might be a good vehicle for empowering girls to believe that they can do anything they want, even if they start out as crybabies and are constantly afraid (after all, without fear, how could you show courage?), but only in the anime could she be shown to be the antithesis, the polar opposite of Galaxia's clearly toxic ideals of strength, pride and, yes, machismo, which were only worsened by her corruption by Chaos. In the manga, while she saves Galaxia (mostly because everyone else is dead and she doesn't want to be alone, from what I've read on the wiki), Galaxia's final act is removing her bracelets and killing herself.

Therefore, while manga Usagi actually defeats Chaos (albeit it is hinted at that this isn't permanent), anime Usagi banishes it, likely never to return.

The question now, was this intentional? If yes, why not make Galaxia male? Because she can't be a man according to the storyline framework? But they've ignored Naoko Takeuchi, much to her chagrin, with other things anyway, so why not here either?

I have no answer to the question of intent. I suspect however, that it wasn't. This is just lucky applicability. Haruka is forced into this conflict because if everyone works together, there would be no final battle. The Sailor Starlights are shown being capable of breaking Galaxia's protecive barrier when they all attack simultaneously. Adding the other Sailor Guardian's attacks to that would have clearly destroyed her immediately and ended the conflict before it ravaged Tokyo, potentially the rest of the planet and killed everyone Usagi loves.

Same with Galaxia. She was a strong soldier, but her containing Chaos because she wasn't powerful enough on her own wasn't meant as the failing of someone who cannot ask for help out of pride. She was meant as someone who stared into the abyss and returned changed. A sad casualty of war. Which in itself is much better than the manga version, but this added layer of interpretative meaning elevates it even more.

Even more so because if it was intentional, I'd say there'd have been more attention drawn to it. Not even through being shown how teamwork would have prevented the massacre we can deduce intent, because teamwork was always a major point of Sailor Moon. In fact that alone might be a dent in the interpretation. If teamwork was always a major point of the series, why is showing toughing it out on your own as a bad thing perhaps an exploration of a hotly debated gender role concept? Well, I'd say her talk about pride, being a soldier and toughing it out is enough to give credence to the theory. If nothing else, it's food for thought.

 

For all its failings and Sailor Moon SuperS, Sailor Moon was - and still is - a milestone. It shows us the power of teamwork, how to have courage in the face of overwhelming odds, what it could potentially mean when you need to grow up much faster than you're meant to. It shows, without explicitly mentioning it, that girls can do everything that boys can. It has a lesbian relationship that's leaps and bounds ahead of what our current "inclusivity checkbox" media can come up with. It has a tomboyish character that just wants to be a traditional woman but can't. It has what essentially amounts to a really masculine woman in a lesbian relationship who is completely fine with who she is.

It has the most Anti-Disney-Princess character as the titular heroine. Someone who wants to be her own kind of princess, as she says. Afraid, often crying and initially not accepting the role she was given by circumstances outside of her agency, she grows, little by little, until it culimantes in the finale of the show (and yes, let's not talk about her character regression in SuperS please).

But most importantly, during the run of the show, the characters become our friends. They're not just people on the screen. We laugh with them, we're happy for them and sometimes we sit here with misty eyes because it hurts. Everything about it is so heartfelt that it exceeds most other live action TV shows in terms of immersion and relatability. And yes, that is even though it is essentially a superhero show with super repetitive elements.

And Just Beause I Feel Like Insulting Someone Again!

Because why the hell not?
 

Spoiler

 

Random quote from YouTube, highlights added by me (everything else unaltered, including spelling and grammar mistakes):

Quote

It makes me want to cry a little, because it marks the end of classic SM anime. Maybe story of Galaxia was completely altered from manga, but I like both versions, both make me sad of Galaxia. Manga story is about someone who sought more power for any price and turned into monster in process. Anime story is about someone who desperately wanted to end war, made a bad decission which turned out to be fateful and led to tragedy. Naoko Takeuchi would eventually be furious for changes in the story, but I think both are equally brilliant and dramatic. Now back to the song, it just screams farewell to viewers, like saying "Goodbye. It was a good run, but all must come to an end. We will miss you, and we are positive you will miss us too."

No they're not equally brilliant, you dweeb. Stop sucking up. The first one is generic Saturday morning cartoon level writing, the other is a step above that. Actually... no, even if the execution within the anime isn't the greatest and it drags at times, and the pacing is bad, and some characters carry the idiot ball, showing someone who tried to end war only to fail and return as the bringer of even more conflict is leaps and bounds ahead of... you know what, never mind.

Screw these fanboys. I don't know, maybe the manga was great in its own way. I've actually read some of the initial chapters by now, and the character introduction acts are nice. It's everything else that sucks. And hey, how often do you introduce your core cast? Yeah, once.

 

 

Edited March 17, 2021 by majestic
Minor typo changes. Should proofread more I guess.

[majestic]

1 hour ago, Bartimaeus said:

You guys said the animation in this season was better, but as someone currently mostly skipping past the action sequences that are apparently supposed to shine, everyone seems to inexplicably look a little weirder and uglier than they used to.

I'd still say it is. Except for an episode here or there where the intern was in charge of the animation.

Oh, and your other point, yes, the stock footage clearly wasn't ready when the season first began to air. The first two episodes have cobbled together attack versions, with no voiceovers at times, Chibi-Usa uses her Sailor Moon S movie transformation scene once because the new one wasn't ready, and... while the girls get their upgrades in *checks* episode 16, they don't use any upgraded attacks or their new transformation sequences until episode 24 (and even then it is limited to Ami). Rei uses hers in 25, then there's a complete weirdo filler episode (one of the ones that looks a bit off) and only in 27 do we see Makoto and Minako doing their new stuff.

I'd say +1 to the theory that a lot of the things made in the season's pre-production were scrapped after Toei decided to retool the show.

[InsaneCommander]

9 hours ago, Bartimaeus said:

Episode 10 of SuperS:

  Hide contents

Okay, is it just me, or...is it kind of weird that the Sailor Guardians, whether it's Usagi and Chibi-Usa or anyone else, so very often have the opportunity to prevent a victim from getting assaulted...but just stand around doing nothing much for just a *little* too long and allow the victim to get assaulted rather than just prevent it from happening to begin with?

This minion tightrope guy was pretty funny, at least.

 

And this becomes even worse considering what Chibiusa says in episode 15:

Spoiler

That they are sexually assaulting their victims. So Usagi is taking/allowing Chibiusa to come and see all of this and they don't really try to stop it from happening. I know she is getting more childish, but even so... And nobody is actually worried about that.

2 hours ago, Bartimaeus said:

Episode probably 12:

  Hide contents

lmao: I was just thinking why do these three guys always butter up their victims before setting the trap since it really seems like they could forcibly set the trap anytime they want, but then Tiger's Eye tried to do it immediately with this kid and she was actually too quick for it - guess they have to distract them in some way before it can be done.

I should also mention: I'm skipping several minutes near the end of each episode as of now - the moment one of the creepfaces says "one", I'm hammering that right arrow past the rest of the battle stuff unless I just happen to see something that piques my interest. Just don't have the patience anymore, and I'm not even that far in. This should help get past this.

Spoiler

 

Fish Eye is particularly good with taking his time. So far it seems he actually might not attack unless he is rejected.

Again, I have to say that it was great to see the girl avoiding the attack, but very disappointing that she ended up being abused.

 

 

 

[majestic]

edit: I just realized I spoilered that there'd be no payoff to this bullsh*t that's going on in SuperS. Sorry! I'll add a spoiler tag now!
 

Spoiler

 

You know guys, that's one of the great failings of this season. There clearly is this sexual assault angle, and it is really uncomfortable to watch at times, and it was clearly meant to be uncomfortable. Why is it never talked about? Never mentioned by anyone, why is no one, not even Makoto who arguably drew the shortest straw in the lottery in her episode, mentioning it once?

The girls acknowledge what has happened to them was painful in the last season, with Minako being annoyed that she wasn't a victim yet, not worth attacking, apparently, and everyone trying to tell her that she should be glad about it, not annoyed.

If you include a theme like that, don't you think dedicating at least one episode to exploring the aftermath of it, like in Sailor Moon S, would be a good idea? Huh? What?

Yeah.

 

 

Yes, the edit description gives it away too. It's supposed to be funny, because nothing else about this season really is.

Edited March 17, 2021 by majestic

[PK htiw klaw eriF]

Every time I hear "Twinkle Yell" I want to kill myself.

[InsaneCommander]

Episode 16.

Spoiler

 

Even the other villains were shocked when Fish Eye chose the little boy. And that was before he said the boy being young was good, describing how he was still developing his muscles and such. Why include this dialogue?

How old is Chibiusa? Not long ago, she was still bedwetting. Now everyone is encouraging her to go out with a boy. Somebody mentioned the sixth grade, so he could be 12.

And how did SM know Fish Eye was pretending to be an older woman? When she arrived he had already abandoned his disguise. Thankfully they didn't show him assaulting the boy (at least not the mirror scene).

 

 

[InsaneCommander]

Just now, ArtistFormerlyKnownasKP said:

Every time I hear "Twinkle Yell" I want to kill myself.

Same here. In the beginning it was ok. Then I started fast forwarding. Now when I forget to do it, it is extremely painful.

"Pegasusu! Pegasusu!" was getting annoying too in episode 16.